The five-headed dragon possessed five distinct personalities, and by that logic, it would only be fair to give each head its own name.
Since the head made of flame itself transformed into a woman with red hair that fell to her shoulders, I bestowed upon her the name Ignis. The blue-headed dragon, who became a blue-haired man, was named Fons. The man in the middle—though I still could not tell what attribute his head represented—was given the name Ventus. Finally, the black-haired woman and the head that reminded me of machinery were named Nox and Terra, respectively.
As befitted the act of [Naming], the corresponding magicules flowed out of my body for each head. Normally, magicules consumed through naming might never be recovered, but as a being of draconic lineage who had evolved repeatedly, my magicule reserves had inflated tenfold; the cost was not enough to affect my condition. Besides, if I ever ran low, I could simply take magicules from others.
**
The five heads were, to put it kindly, unique, and to put it bluntly, a bunch of troublemakers. Ignis was aggressive and bellicose. Fons, by contrast, was introverted and plagued by extreme laziness. Ventus was as free-spirited as the wind, often vanishing without a word.
Nox was the taciturn type; aside from me, she almost never spoke first and kept conversations to a bare minimum. Terra was lively, possessing the energy of a sociable teenage girl who warmed up to others instantly.
Terra was the only one with yellow-toned skin, but I didn't particularly mind.
Despite their quirks, they followed my orders like obedient puppies, making them reliable assets I could trust with any task.
While their power was split five ways—each possessing only a fifth of the original strength—the fact that I had granted them names likely enhanced their individual capabilities.
Though they differed in personality, all five were dexterous and surprisingly knowledgeable. It was strange for beings born so recently to be so well-informed. Upon investigating, I discovered the truth: they were aggregates of knowledge created by my skills. Much like alchemy, they were formed from materials, but my magic had blended them together to forge their individual egos.
In other words, each of them had inherited fragments of the experiences and memories I had accumulated back on Earth.
Because of this, they were fluent in the common sense of Earth and could wield elemental magic with ease. They were truly dependable.
The five were far more capable than I had imagined. At times, I felt their loyalty was excessive, but it was simply a testament to how much they trusted me.
I was certain they would never betray me.
However, I was still working as a doctor in Ingrasia, so I could not remain here indefinitely.
In preparation for any eventuality, I decided to create one more subordinate.
If the influence of my draconic lineage had given birth to the five-headed dragon sub-species, I decided to try a different approach this time.
During my stay in Ingrasia, I had gathered a wealth of information, and Ramiris had shared some particularly interesting stories.
Specifically, about a race called the Aggressors.
To put it simply, they were a race from another world beyond another world—invaders in every sense of the word. According to ancient texts in Amrita, their home dimension lacked sufficient resources and food. Consequently, they waited for the gates to the material world to open periodically to launch their invasions.
I figured I could tempt them by offering the abundant resources available in this village.
Either way, I just hoped the result would be someone strong.
*Crack...*
Using lightning magic, I tore through the atmosphere to weaken the rift in the material world, effectively baiting an invasion.
As the dimensional rift gradually widened, two black shapes leaped through the gap with blinding speed.
[Notice: Abnormal energy levels detected in enemy entities.]
Prome's warning rang in my mind. I calmly observed the two newcomers.
They were as tall as minotaurs, their bodies encased in obsidian-like armor, with two pairs of blade-sharp wings on their backs. Their heads featured massive, scissor-like mandibles reminiscent of stag beetles, and their arms ended in lethal claws.
They had flowing manes, and their eyes glowed a piercing red.
The second figure was similarly clad in jet-black armor with sharp claws, but its physique was more like a bipedal dinosaur. It carried a shield on its back.
Their mere presence and oppressive aura signaled their strength. Based on their appearance, I guessed one was an Insect-type, while the other was likely a Phantom or a Cryptid.
Since this was a summoning rather than a creation, these two possessed fully formed personalities. The only question was whether they would submit to me.
"Were you the one who called us?"
"I was."
The two glanced at each other briefly before immediately dropping into combat stances.
*They don't seem berserk... just battle maniacs?*
Seeing that they retained their reason, it was clear they simply craved a fight. Personally, I preferred that; it made them much easier to deal with.
One possessed the agility of an insect, while the dinosaur-like one boasted overwhelming power. Both were formidable.
Their combat strength was beyond my expectations, yet for some reason...
"I don't feel like I'm going to lose."
As I spoke, I shrouded my body in lightning and accelerated. My movements became one with the bolt. In an instant, I manifested a sword of Thunder Heaven Flame in one hand and a sword of Thunder Heaven Ice in the other, both coursing with black electricity.
With a flash of lightning, I tore through the space between them, slashing them both in a blur of speed.
*Screeech!!*
The two groaned from the impact, but the wounds didn't seem fatal. Their durability was impressive.
Currently, my experience and technical application were at their peak. I was strong enough that I didn't need to rely on tricks or even the full power of my draconic lineage.
The black warrior hurled two massive spheres of energy at me, while the insect launched a slash powerful enough to rend space itself.
I didn't dodge. I met the attacks head-on.
Fire and explosions erupted. I seemed to be pushed back for a moment, but I soon repelled the onslaught.
The magical clash ended in an instant. The lightning swords had lost some potency as their energy was spent, but that was merely the surface magic stripping away; I myself remained completely unscathed.
*I can block them with simple force.*
I looked at the devastated terrain and felt a genuine sense of admiration.
That was a productive test.
Before my evolution, I had a vast amount of magicules but couldn't fully utilize them. However, since evolving into an awakened demon lord, I had spent a long time devising various applications for my magic. Through endless practice, I had finally made this power my own.
"What...?"
The two beings were stunned. They had clearly put everything into that attack, and seeing me brush it off without a scratch left them frozen in shock.
"Now, be quiet."
I charged between them and swung my blades. They couldn't even react to my speed, let alone defend themselves. One set of wounds erupted in flames, others froze instantly, and purple lightning bound their strength.
"Graaah!!"
The dinosaur and the insect crashed to the ground, though they managed to use a landing technique to mitigate the impact.
They groaned as they struggled to their feet, their armor shattered and cracked. The fact that they could still move despite their internal injuries spoke to their sheer tenacity and refusal to lose.
They looked at me and simultaneously knelt in submission.
"We will follow you."
As they spoke, I learned that the Insects, Phantoms, and Cryptids were three races locked in a struggle for supremacy. These two, however, had refused to participate. They claimed to follow their own sense of justice and had formed an alliance based on those shared ideals.
As warriors who aspired to reach the pinnacle, they loathed cowardly and vile acts, which led them to distance themselves from their own kind. Naturally, the other races didn't appreciate their refusal to join the power struggle.
"I will give you the chance to uphold your justice. Submit to me."
At my words, they knelt once more like knights swearing eternal fealty, raising one arm in salute.
"Our loyalty is yours."
"Then I shall grant you names and power worthy of your strength."
"With pleasure."
I bestowed the name Granger upon the insect-like warrior and named the dinosaur-like one Drago. Following the [Naming], both evolved into forms that truly befitted their new identities.